The Bharatiya Janata Party’s ally in Uttar Pradesh, Apna Dal (Sonelal), on Tuesday expressed discontent saying that the party is not getting respect from the state BJP leadership.

Apna Dal chief Ashish Patel said that BJP’s partners in Uttar Pradesh are upset and the party must address the issue. He further stated that BJP must learn from its recent losses in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, where the Congress formed the government.

“State BJP leadership isn’t giving us the respect we deserve. They should learn from recent losses. The SP-BSP alliance is a challenge for us. Allies in Uttar Pradesh are upset. Leadership at the centre must do something, else NDA (National Democratic Alliance) would suffer in the state,” Patel said.

“We small parties, like the Apna Dal(S), want some respect to be shown to us. We, our leaders and workers feel hurt if due importance is not given to us,” he noted.

It is to be noted that Apna Dal party’s chief Ashish Patel – whose wife Anupriya Patel is the Union Minister of State for Health – refused to divulge anything on his party’s expectation as to the number of seats it wants to contest 2019 Lok Sabha elections on. He said it would be revealed when the time comes.

However, Apna Dal is not the only ally in Uttar Pradesh to have openly talked about differences with the BJP’s state leadership. Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party leader Om Prakash Rajbhar, a UP cabinet minister, has been making comments against the BJP and its policies in the state and at the centre.

Recently, Upendra Kushwaha recently quit the NDA after he was reportedly offered two seats for 2019 polls. He joined the grand alliance.